Article support



May 17, 1932. 1.. RICHARD 1,859,221.

ARTICLE SUPPORT Filed p 24, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOQ Lows MRMRRD y 1932- L. M. llCh-IARD 1,859,221

ARTICLE SUPPORT Filed Sept. 24. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 I Y INVENTOR Lows MRmHARo- ATTORNEY Patented May 17, 1932 UNITED STATES LOUIS M. RICHARD, OF SHELTOFI', CONNEGTICTTT ARTICLE surroivr Application filed September 24, 1929. Serial No. 394,858.

This invention relates to supports, and more particularly to supports that areadapted for holding articles in or adjacent to windows, or between windows of buildings.

Among the obj ects of the present invention is the production of supports that maybe readily adjusted to windows of different widths, or spaces of different widths between windows, and to different depths of window sills, so that the supports may be readily used wherever desired, either in windows or between windows.

Other and further objects and advantages will appear from the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of explanation only, and not as limiting, since various changes may be made in this disclosure by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of this disclosure.

' In'connection with that more detailed description, there is shown illustratively in the drawings, in V Figure 1 a perspective view of a support adapted to hold an article in or near awindow; in

Figure 2 an end elevation of the support of Figure 1 shown in position in a window struc- Eo ture;in a

Figure 3 a perspective View of the means for securing the arms of the support together -Figure 4 a perspective view of the block which carries the means for securing the support in the window sill; in l i Figure 5 a perspective vlew of a modified form of support which may be used for holding articles between windows; in

Figure 6 an end elevation of the support of Figure 5 shown in position in a window structure; in

Figure 7 a perspective View of the means for holding the arms together; and in Figure 8 a perspective view of the block which may be utilized in connection with the means for securing the support of Figure 5 between. windows.

As illustrated in the drawings, the supports covered by the present inventlon are desirably formed with side portions provided with arms extending from said side portions, thearms being adjacent to each other, and means being supplied for securingthe arms together, and also-there being means 'fortat taching the support to a supporting struc'- ture. Desirably thesupport mayvbe formed of a metallic element such as wire, but any other desired material may be utilized. The invention is further illustrated in the drawings as being made with side portions of substantially similar geometric contour, which side portions are also parallel to each other, but it will be understood that his not essential that the contours of the side portions be rear elements are desirably bent backwardly as shown at 6, 6, so that the lower portions 7, 7 of each of the side portions may rest against the. wall W while the upper portions 5, 5, of the rear element are spaced "from the wall W.. That portion ofthe metallic element which forms the portion 5 of the rear element continues upwardly and is bent over the upper element 2 and then downwardly, as shown at 8, withan annular bend at 9 to formthe arm 10,'which' extends substantially at right. angles from the plane of the side portion 1. The end of the metallic element which forms the upper element ,2 extends rearwardly to form an end portion 11, provided with an engaging hook 12. The engaging hooks 12, 12 are adapted to seat in a blockB shownspecifis cally in Figure 4. The block'B may be provided with an extending lug 13, carrying an aperture 14, in which the hook 12 is seated. Any desired means, such as a set screw, may be utilized for securing thehook 12- in the aperture 14 of the block B. The-block Bis further desirably provided with an aper ture running transversely of the block and preferably clear through the same, so that it is provided to receive an attaching rod 16 provided with a hooked end 17. The attaching rod 16 is held in the aperture 15 by means of a set screw 18, which passes into a threaded opening 19 in theblock B at right angles vto the apert-ure 15, the threaded opening 19 allowing the set screw 18 to be adjusted in the opening 19, so that the set screw 18 impinges against the connecting"ro'd1 6 for securing that connecting rod rigidly in the opening 15. The hooked end 17' onthe connecting rod 16 is adapted-to engagethe groove G of the sill end of the window just above the ledge L thereof, andxin this manner-the support is held in position immediately in front of 1 the window at the lower portionthereofin The arms 10,10 whichextend inwardly from theside portions'l, 1,-'are placed closely adjacent-to each other'as shown inFigure 1 of the' draWin-gS, and may 'be secured together byany desired attaching means. For this purpose, a block C may be provided having a transversemopening-or aperture '20 which extends entirely-through the block C, the opening 20 being of such'sizeas to accommodate the two?-arms 10, '10. At right angles to the opening: 20; the block C is provided-with a threaded opening 21 adapted to'receive-asetscrew 22, so that the set screw may be forced down into the opening'21 until it' impinges against the arms 10, I 10 containedwithin the zopening 20, and the arms 10, 10' will thus be secured rigidly together. For this purpose the opening -'21 extends through the block' into' the:openingZO. The '=u=se=ofhe support set forth 7 Figures l to in the drawings is 'read-ily understood frem the description:given above. 'The hook members 17,- 17 are engaged in' the opposite grooves G of the 'end si ll F of the window, so that the's 'i'pport is held at the ledge L-of the windew with the rear-' element of theend portions of the fsupport' resting against the wall W; {Due to the set screw 18- and theatt-aoh i'rig rod m, the-support may-be adjusted readily to varying distances 'between'the outer ledge of the' windo'w and 'the groove G of the silli ""Fiirthermore the set screw'22 in the block O allews ior 'ready adjustment of the w idthof the support by movement of the arms 10;"10 vv ithin the opening 20 0f the blockv G. ln -this'flmanner; the support 'may be adjasted-reaail for varying depths of Window frames, and 'also for varyin'g widths of Windows. lnstead of 'us'ingthe blocks B, B with I this structuretliehooks 12, -12on the portions 11, ll of the upper elements of the side portin's' may beaitilized for attachment to the window-sill; *but this does I not allow for ads augment f-of the support- "to accommodate i aryiiig disjtances between the 'outer ledge of the window-and: the-"grooves G in the sills,

so that the preferred modification is as illustrated where the blocks B are utilized for obtaining the desired adjustment. The blocks B and C may be made of any desired material. While two blocks G,;C are illustrated, one near each end of the arms 10, 10, obviously one such-block O might be utilized if desired, or there may be any number .ofitheihlocks C placed on the arms 10, 10. Obviously any other securing means for the arms 10, 10 might be l itilized inpla ce of the blocks C, C,and also other attaching means might be utilized in lieu of the blocks B, B forattaching the support in the window. The support illustrated lies pai'tically wholly below the articles to'be supported may be ipla cedupon such shelves. Figure2 illustrates the support of an article A upon the lower-1 lements 3, 3 of the side, portions.

The form of 1 support illustrated in. Figures 5 to 8 isrpriinanily designed for-nse between windows to overcome centaimcity ordinances frequently effective, which providefthatob 'structions shall-not beplaced directly infront of "windows. The support is simiilar j in;- its general nature to that illustrated to= iEigures 1 to 4. The side portions-1,,l1,'are'desirably formed with -substantiallypzhorizontah upper elements2,2:, and rearrelements/a, .5 i The portion of the metallic element torminglthe rear 'wall'is bentas illustratedatfi ina-rearward direction, and thenzdownwardlytdfonm the element 7 adaptedto engage against the wall In this manner; the portion 37 supportsthe, side xporti-onsaway from thew-all W. The upper'element 2, 2 of eachside portion; is continued rearwardly to -forgm a connecting rod "11.- rha'vingxza hoo ed; erid 2 adapted to be received by the block B. The block B- is providedwith-amaperture 1&3 to receive the hooked end 12 0f the-element 311 the hooked end 12"- fbeingchelid' ri-gidilyiin the of the sill S of the-window;v The attaching 15. The arm's-110 10;"extendinwardly-fiiom each: side-portionor" the support,- lthe arms preferably extending above the upper elements 2', 2' of the side portions. The arms 10, 10 are secured together in any desired manner as by means of the blocks C, C. The blocks C, O carry a transverse opening 20 for reception of the arms 10, 10', the arms being held in the block against movement by means of the set screw 22 which passes through the threaded opening 21'. The opening 21 extends through the side of the block into the opening 20, so that the set screw may be forced down against the arms 10, 10 in the opening 20' and prevent movement of the arms when set in position.

As stated above, the form of support il lustrated in Figures 5 to 8 is primarily designed for use between windows, the hooked ends 17 17 engaging grooves G, G of adjacent windows. Instead of utilizing the blocks B, B with their associated attaching elements, the hooks 12', 12 may be directly engaged in grooves G, G of the adjacent window sill, but it is more desirable in order to secure adjustment to utilize the blocks B, B with their associated elements. lVhile two blocks C, C have been illustrated, only one such block could be utilized, although two form a desirable number, and there may be a greater number of such blocks if desired. Due to the attaching rod 16 with the hooked end 17 thereon, the support is readily adjusted to varying distances between the grooves G, of the sill S and the ledge of the window, and further, due to the fact that the block C may be readily loosened on the arms 10, 10 to allow for adjustment to varying widths, the support is readily placed in position between windows of any desired spaced distance. The support, therefore, al lows for ready adjustment to any desired adjacent window. The article A may be supported on the upper elements 2, 2 of the side portions 1, 1', or a shelf may first be placed on the upper elements 2, 2 on which the article may then be supported.

The form of article support illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 constitutes a preferred form of the invention for a number of reasons. The support illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 is utilizable in more relationships than is that of Figures 5 to 8. In connection with the structure illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, particular attention may be called to the fact that the element 5 extends over the element 2, and then is bent downwardly to provide the element 8, which is further continued by bending at the point 9 to form the arm 10. For reception of the bend between the elements 5 and 8, the element 2 has a recess or groove formed in it, as by bending, to receive the bend between the elements 5 and 8 so that the parts are locked together, and relative movement between them is prevented. Furthermore this offset in the element 2 which receives the bended portion of the wire between the elements?) and 8, serves to place the bended portion of the wire between ele-' ments 5 and 8 on substantially the same plane as the element 2, and consequently there is no pbstruction to any article or shelf placed on the element 2. The element 8 not only is bent downwardly, but also desirably is bent forwardly, so that the block C is held away from the window ledge L. Furthermore, as illustrated in the drawings, the element 11 is desirably given a bend upwardly so that the hooked portion 12 in the block B enables the block B to position properly with respect to the window ledge L. The upward bend of element 11 also has an additional function in that it tends to throw the weight on the element 11 at just about the edge of the ledge of the window, and thus compensates for the thickness of the block B below the hook The block B having the offset portion 13 enables the element 16 to clear any object placed upon the elements 2, 2.

The structure illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, which is, as stated, the preferred form of the invention, enables a support of this character to be used in any of four positions, namely in a window inside of the house, in a window outside of the house, and in the space between two windows whether inside or outside of the house. be bent outwardly when usedin a window, and inwardly when used in the space between two windows.

Of course, the structure shown in Figures 5 to 8 may be modified to follow the structure shown in Figures 1 to 4 constituting the preferred form of the invention by supplying forwardly bent elements to provide portions 8 in the structure shown in Figures 5 to 8, and similarly the blocks B and B may be used with the structures shown either in Figures 1 to 4 or 5 to 8 respectively.

Having thus set forth my invention, I claim:

1. A support comprising two side portions, an arm extending from each side portion, the arms being adjacent to each other, and means for securing the arms together, in which the side portions are provided with means for attaching the support to a supporting body, such attaching means comprising a block attached to each side portion, a transverse open ing in said block, an attaching rod passing through the transverse opening, and a set screw in the block ending in the transverse opening for securing the attaching rod in posltion.

2. A support comprising two side portions of similar geometric contour, each side portion being formed of a length of metallic element, one end of the metallic element ex-, tending rearwardly of the side portion to provide means for attaching the support to a supporting body, and the other end of each The hooks 12 may I of the metallic elements forming the side portions extending angularly to the side portion to form arms, the arms lying adjacent to each other, and means for securing the arms to- 'gether, in which the side portions carry means for attaching the support to a supporting body, such attaching means comprising a block carried by each side portion, a transverse opening in each of said blocks, an attaching rod passing through the said transverse opening, a set screw in the block ending in the transverse opening for securing the attaching rod in position, the means for securing the arms together comprising a 101001: provided with ,atransverse aperture through which the arms pass, a threaded aperture in the block ending adjacent the opening for the arms, and a set screw in'the threaded opening adapted to hold the arms in the securing block.

3. A support comprising two side portions of similar geometric contour, each side portion being formed of a single length of metallic element, one end of the metallic element extending rearwardly of the side portion to provide means for attaching the support to a supporting body, and theother end of each of the metallic elements forming the 7 side portions extending angularly to the side portion to form arms, the arms lying adjacent to each other, and means for securing the arms together. 7

- LOUIS M. RICHARD. 

